New bishop was once accused of mishandling abuse case, which suit says led to another child getting molested

One of Pope Francis’ last U.S. bishop appointments, who appears to be the first American bishop ordained after Pope Leo XIV’s election, was accused in lawsuits more than a decade ago of failing to sideline a volunteer minister at his Catholic parish following a complaint of inappropriate behavior with an altar boy in 2011.

The volunteer minister, Robert F. Little, later molested another boy from the same Fort Myers, Florida, parish, according to the lawsuits, which were filed by parents of the children and accused the Rev. Gregg Caggianelli and other church officials of not doing enough to keep Little away from minors.

Caggianelli, an Air Force officer long part of the Diocese of Venice, Florida, was appointed by Pope Francis in February to become an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese